Black-and-Red Stick Insect

Appearance

Description of the male
Colouration: Body, compound eyes, antennae and legs black. Tegmina red. Costal region of hind wings blood red with a longitudinal black narrow stripe on posterior margin. Anal region of hind wings dark brown.

Wings: Tegmina very small, oval, without shoulder pads. Hind wing slightly extending beyond the fifth abdominal tergum. Area between an- terior wing margin and posterior Subcosta bent laterally; posterior Subcosta weak, not reaching the wing apex; Radius strongly sclerotized and unbranched, parallel to poste- rior Subcosta; anterior Media and posterior Media simple and straight; Cubitus + first anterior Analis straight; hind wing fan oval.

Description of the female.
The female differs from the male in the following characters. Body slightly larger and more robust. Colouration variable, typically similar to male, except abdominal tergum 7 pale brown with a definite dark longitudinal line medially and lateral margins of abdominal terga with yellowish rim. Alternatively, body, compound eyes, antennae and legs brown; costal region of hind wings dark brown with pale brown venation, anterior margin with a blood red tinge near wing articulation. Mesothorax parallel-sided. Length of hind wing variable, reaching to posterior margin of the fourth tergum up to extending midway on to the fifth tergum. Abdomen about 1.50 times length of head and thorax combined. Abdominal segments 2–3 increasing in length, 4 shorther than 3, 5–6 increasing in length, 7–10 progressively shorter, 10 ca. 0.90 times length of 9. Abdominal terga 2–10 broader than long in full-grown females. Hind margin of tergum 10 rounded. Cerci terete and straight. Sternum 8 (= operculum) folded in two along the middle, covering completely the ovipositor, apex roundly pointe.

Naming

This species is named after Albert Kang.

Distribution

This species was discovered in the province of Benguet on the island of Luzon.
It is endemic to the area and naturally, to the island of Luzon, Philippines.

Habitat

It is characterised by the presence of small communities scattered around a main provincial roads, with several pockets of secondary vegetation and some areas of primary forests. Adults of Orthomeria kangi were first observed at night on the leaf underside of Ficus spp. trees (Moraceae). The host plants were mainly big trees of an unidentified Ficus sp. ca. 8–10 m height and up to 10–15 m wide located on forested slopes. The stick insects have been found on the low hanging branches (< 4 m height).

Reproduction

Prior to the final moult, the subadult female starts to be guarded by competing males, usually with one male mounted on the female’s back and facing into the same direction as the female. Copulation starts immediately after the female has completed the last nymphal moult. Generally, its found that when presented with a receptive virgin female, the male quickly mounts her and starts a series of abdominal bending movements apparently searching for the appropriate mating position. The female curve the abdominal tip upwards thereby exposing her terminalia, while the male bends its abdomen on the left side with his terminalia directed forward. The clasping cerci of the male grasp the female at the base of her eighth sternum, and at the same time a bulb-like phallic organ comes into contact with the female genitalia Copulation lasted approximately three hours. The presence of a spermatophore has not been ascertained. Mated females showed an aggressive behaviour towards potential mates, and multiple matings were rarely observed. They chase away approaching males through quivering movements of the body, beating legs on the substrate, and flashing their wings for a few seconds. This behaviour is also practiced by resting individuals when disturbed by conspecifics.

Food

Host plants include Ficus spp. (Moraceae), and Pipturus spp. and Leucosyke spp. (Urticaceae).

Defense

If threatened, adults and nymphs of Orthomeria kangi spray a milky defensive secretion from the prothoracic exocrine glads and inevitably let themselves fall to the ground and quickly run away.